


Sugar and Spice

by scatterthestars



Category: Glee, Glee RPF
Genre: AU, Fluff, Frottage, M/M, very mild angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-02
Updated: 2015-08-02
Packaged: 2018-04-12 12:01:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4478570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scatterthestars/pseuds/scatterthestars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The baking class is a gift from his friend.  Darren goes expecting to learn to make a few things.  He never expects to fall for the cute teacher while at it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sugar and Spice

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a Twitter exchange I had with one of my followers.

**Class One**

"Oh, fuck!"  It's not exactly the first impression he wants to make.  But as he stumbles into the room where his baking class is being held, Darren can't stop the curse word from leaving his mouth.

He stands up and composes himself, takes a look at the other people signed up for the class staring at him.  He feels himself get embarrassed under their gazes.  But glad it's a relatively small class.  He quickly counts that there's only ten other people in the class.

"Sorry," he apologizes.  "It was an accident."

"Hello?" a voice asks from nearby.

Darren looks to see who is talking and finds himself coming face to face with perhaps the most gorgeous guy he's ever seen.  Piercing blue eyes stare at him as pink lips spread into a tiny smile.  A tint of red staining his cheeks as he looks at him.  A lock of chestnut colored hair falls across the guy's forehead.  Darren finds himself wanting to run his fingers through that hair.  To see if it's as soft as it looks.

"Can I help you?"

Darren finds his attention drawn back to the guy's mouth when he talks.  He stares at his pink, full lips.  Thinks about how they would feel pressed against his.  Imagines kisses being peppered all over his body.

"Excuse me," the guy politely says to get his attention.

The guy's voice snaps Darren out of his thoughts.  He looks up into eyes filled with confusion as they stare at him.  "Huh?" he mumbles like a fool.

"Can I help you?"

"Oh.  Uh...um..." Darren mentally smacks himself for how stupid he sounds.  And how stupid he must look standing there with his mouth hanging open as he stares.  He snaps his mouth shut and tries to remember how to properly speak.  "I...I'm here for the baking class."

The guy's smile grows big with happiness.  It makes Darren's heart stutter in his chest.  He can't help but to think he wants to see that smile again and again.  "Wonderful," the guy says.  "Take a seat and we'll get started."

"Sorry I'm late."

"It's okay.  You didn't miss much."

"I also didn't mean to make such a memorable entrance."

The guy lets out a small laugh.  “It’s fine.”

Darren walks over to the only empty station.  He sits down and looks up at the front of the room.  He watches the guy up front as he pushes the lock of hair that has fallen back from his forehead.  He feels his fingers itch to reach out and be the one to do that.

"I guess I should introduce myself again."  The guy’s eyes catch Darren's as a teasing smile spreads across his face.  Darren feels himself turn red from embarrassment.  "I'm Chris, and I'll be your teacher for this class.  As I was saying before, this is a simple class.  It's supposed to be fun and easy.  I won't be trying to get you to make some impossible dessert.  Plus, you don't have to worry about flunking.  Everyone passes no matter what.  And you get sweets out of it."

Darren laughs along with everybody else.  He notices Chris ease some after that, as if he’s getting past those first few minutes of nervousness.

"Okay," Chris places his hands on the tabletop, "today's class, we're making tiramisu.  So, yes, sadly, the rum at your station isn't there to freely enjoy."

Darren laughs.  He hears someone whisper behind him that they're still going to steal a drink or two.

“Okay, let’s get started.”

After Chris talks them through the steps first, showing them how to do everything, he tells them it's their turn to cook.  

Darren turns his attention to his tools and ingredients.  Even with Chris' instructions, he feels lost as he stares down at everything already set out for him.  He tries his best to follow the instructions Chris provided, along with the recipe in front of him.  But he finds himself in trouble less than five minutes into cooking.  It seems separating eggs is a lot harder than it looks.  When he looks around at the other people doing it so effortlessly, he groans to himself and wonders what the hell Cole was thinking giving him this as a present.  He doesn’t bake.  The closest he comes to baking is making a cake from a box.  And he’s lucky then if he doesn’t burn the damn thing.

"Do you need help?" a familiar voice filled with laughter says close by.

Darren looks up to find Chris standing at his station with an amused look in his eyes as he watches him make a complete fool of himself.  He sees as he bites his lower lip as if to stop from laughing.

As he stares at Chris, Darren is once again struck by how gorgeous he is.

"W-What?" he mumbles when he realizes Chris asked something.

"Do you need some help separating your eggs?"

Darren looks at his attempts at egg separating.  Sees yolks and whites mixing in the bowl; along with pieces of shell.

"I think I'm in over my head," Darren says as he cleans his hands on the apron he wears.

"No.  You just need to learn."  Chris reaches for an egg.  "Let me help you."

"Thanks."

"No problem."  Chris looks at Darren and gives him a smile.  "It's what I'm here for.  Can I ask your name?"

"It's Darren."

Darren watches as Chris separates eggs like it's the easiest thing in the world.  He watches his hands.  Stares at his fingers as he maneuvers the yolk from one hand to the other as the whites fall through his fingers.  As he watches him, he starts to imagine what those fingers would feel like dragging across his skin.  How they would feel buried in his hair.  Or what they would feel like wrapped around his cock.  That thought has him biting back a groan as he tries not to get hard.  He looks up at the ceiling and forces himself to think of anything else to stop from getting turned on in the middle of his baking class.  God knows he doesn’t want to make an even bigger fool of himself today in front of people he doesn’t know.

"Is your girlfriend late, Darren?"  Chris asks as he separates the last egg.

"What?"  Darren drops his head and looks at Chris confused.

"Your girlfriend?"  Chris repeats.  "Is she running late?"

"No.  I don't have a girlfriend."

"Wife?"

Darren shakes his head, now even more confused.  "I’m gay.  So definitely no wife.  Why are you asking about my non-existent love life?"  If he notices the corner of Chris' mouth minutely turn up in a pleased smile before quickly disappearing, he just tells himself he imagined it.

"Did you sign up for this class?"

"No.  My friend gave it to me as a gift.  Said I needed to learn how to bake, for some unknown reason.  I think he just wants me to learn so I can make him stuff.  Why?"  Darren wonders how his being in this class has anything to do with his love life.  Granted, learning how to bake something will give him points when he does date someone.  But at the moment, he doesn’t understand how the two are connected.

Chris lets out a small laugh.  The noise is soft, and filled with amusement.  "I just think next time your friend should read before picking a class."

"I don't understand."  Darren feels way out of the loop.

"This is a class for couples," Chris informs him.

After Chris says that, Darren looks around at the ten other people here and realizes they aren't just randomly sitting together.  He notices how they touch; how they lean close together.  They way they look at each other with smiles, and a light in their eyes that clearly states they care about the person they are with.

"Fuck!" he says under his breath.  He drops his hands at his sides.  "Should I leave?"

"No, it's fine," Chris assures him.  "It happens all the time.  You're more than welcome to stay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

When Chris reaches out and grabs his hand,  Darren feels as if a strong, electric current has suddenly shot through him.  His heart races.  His breathing slows.  It feels as if everything around him disappears and the only thing he sees is Chris.  And from the way Chris stares at him, eyes wide and filled with wonder, Darren knows he’s experiencing the same thing.  He hears the faint gasp that falls from Chris’ parted lips.

Darren doesn’t know how long they stand there staring at each other.  He doesn’t care.

The contact is finally broken when someone drops something to the floor with a loud bang.  Chris takes a step back.  Let’s go of Darren’s hand, but not before dragging his fingers across his palm.  "I...I should leave you to it,” he mumbles.

Darren watches Chris turn and walk away.  But not before he noticed the flush to his cheeks.  The hand Chris held, where his fingers dragged across his palm, tingles.

Darren goes back to his dessert.  Is surprised when he actually manages to make something that looks exactly like Chris’.  “How you doing?”  Chris comes up to his station and asks an hour later as he soaks his lady fingers in the coffee and rum mixture.

“Pretty good.  I haven’t screwed up.  So that’s a plus.”

“I told you this was easy,” Chris says as he places his hand on Darren’s back.

Since Chris last came to his station, Darren has been watching him.  He watched as he walked around the room to help the other people with their desserts.  While he watched him, he noticed that Chris didn’t touch them.  He kept his hands at his sides, or behind his back.

That’s why now, with his hand on his back, that Darren knows Chris is touching him, not as a comforting gesture, but because he wants to.

“Yeah.”  Darren nods his head.

If feels like a fire is where Chris’ hand lays on his back, and it’s spreading throughout his body.

“I think it’s time to start pulling this tiramisu together.”

Darren fights back a moan when Chris drags his hand away from his back.  This touch creating tingles like last time.

Ten minutes later as he looks at his completed dessert, surprised by how good it actually looks, Darren looks up at Chris.  He bites back a grin when he catches him staring at him.  Sees his cheeks turn red with embarrassment.

“So, it looks like everyone did a wonderful job today,” Chris says.  “Now, all you need to do is take your tiramisus home and put them in the fridge for several hours so they can completely set.  Then you can enjoy them.  So, clean your stations and you can leave.”

After class when everyone is gone except for Chris, who is putting away the last of the supplies, Darren walks up to him.  “Thank you.  I had fun.”

Chris looks up.  Looks a bit flustered as he stares at Darren.  “Y-You’re welcome.  I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.  I’ll see you next week, right?”

“Definitely.”

“Great,” Chris replies a bit more enthusiasm than Darren was expecting.  He notices how Chris gets a bit embarrassed; sees the red stain his cheeks as he shyly looks away.

“Until next week.”

“Yeah,” Chris nods head, “until next week.”

“Bye, Chris.”

“Bye, Darren.”

The moment he's out of the classroom, Darren pulls out his phone and calls his best friend responsible for this.

"What up, buttercup?"  Cole answers.

"First off, don't ever call me buttercup again," Darren starts.

Cole laughs on the other end of the phone.  "Alright.  No buttercup.  I'll just continue calling you douchebag."

Darren laughs.

"So, how was the class?  You burn your food?"

Darren hears the rustle of a chip bag on Cole's end of the phone.  "We didn’t use the oven.  So, no" he tells him.

"Nice," Cole says around the mouthful of chips he eats.  “What’d you make?”

“Tiramisu.”

“I’ll be over later to see how you did.”

“Of course you will,” Darren replies shaking his head.  He kind of figured Cole would show up wanting to try whatever he made.  "No, that's not why I called.  I called to tell you you signed me up in a class for couples."

"Shit!  I did?  Sorry."

"It's fine.  My sitting alone while surrounded by couples was made up for by the extremely gorgeous teacher.”

“Okay, tell me everything,” Cole excitedly says.

Darren chuckles before doing just that.

**Class Two**

Darren arrives early in hope of getting a few minutes alone with Chris before class starts.  When he walks into the room, though, he sees that Nick and Maggie, at least that’s what he thinks their names are, are already there at their station getting things ready.  Plus, he doesn't see Chris anywhere.

Shoulders slumping when he realizes he won't get the time alone with Chris like he's dreamed about for the past week, Darren walks over to his station.  He pulls on his apron.  Just as he finishes tying the strings behind him, a noise from the back of the room catches his attention.  Looking at the same time as Maggie does, he smiles at the sight of Chris walking out of a room looking in need of help.

Darren watches as Chris' eyes quickly scan the room before finding his.  He feels himself slight flush under his gaze.

Chris grins.  And not just a small grin at seeing a familiar face.  No, this is the kind of smile that reaches his eyes.  That says he is ecstatic to see him.

"Hello, Chris," Darren says in a voice higher than he would like.

"Darren."  The way Chris says his name, filled with excitement and joy, makes Darren want him to say it over and over again.  "You think you could help me?"

"Sure."  Darren walks from his station to where Chris stands.  A look past Chris' shoulder tells him that it's a small storage room slash pantry behind him.

"Thank you."  Chris reaches out and takes Darren's hand in his.

Darren trembles at the touch.  At the softness of Chris' hands.  At the spark that runs up his arm like electricity.  At the way Chris holds on a beat too long before letting go.

"I-It's nothing."  Darren's voice comes out shaky and low.  He clears his throat.  "What...What do you need help with?"

Chris waves Darren into the small room and gestures to the stacked plastic containers.  Some sit on the floor.  Three others sit on the top row of a shelf.  "Can you help me carry these out?" he asks.

"Of course."

"I'll take these."  Chris bends down and grabs the ones from the floor.  It takes everything in Darren not to stare at his ass.  How round and perky, and perfect it looks.  "Can you grab the others from the shelf?"

"Sure."

After Chris walks out of the room, Darren reaches up and grabs the first two containers easily.  But when he goes to grab the third, his fingers barely brush the plastic.  Up on his tippy toes, he stretches to reach the container to no avail.

"Here," a familiar voice says close to his ear.  There's a sliver of amusement to the voice.  "Let me help you."

It's only when he goes back to his feet, and Chris reaches up, that Darren realizes how close Chris is.  On the back of his neck he can feel his warmth breath hit his skin.  It sends a shiver down his spine.  The brush of Chris' front along his back has him closing his eyes and biting back an obscene moan.  The small contact awakening all kinds of desires and needs.

"Hold on," Chris says as he places a hand on Darren's hip for support.

Darren revels in the way Chris grasp him.  How his fingers dig into his flesh to keep from falling over.  How those same fingers linger, and then drag across his hip when he finally has the container.

"There we go," Chris says with a slightly deeper voice.

Darren turns to face him.  Lets out a breath when he sees how close Chris is still to him.  His face mere inches from his own.

With him this close, the already small room feels even smaller.  But Darren doesn't care.  Because he can make out the various of colors that make up Chris' stunning eyes.  Sees splashes of green and yellow mix together.  Can perfectly see the extremely faint freckles that are sprinkled across the bridge of his nose, and on his upper cheeks.

He watches as Chris' eyes dart down to his lips before looking up.  He sees as he sticks his tongue out to wet his own lips.

Darren follows the slide of Chris' tongue over his full lips.  How it passes over and leaves them wet and tempting.  He clutches the shelf behind him to stop from reaching out and pulling Chris and kissing him.  He wants those lips on his.  Wants to find out if they are as soft as they look.

"Thanks," Chris quietly whispers as he keeps his eyes on Darren's.

Darren wonders if his eyes are blown wide with the lust he feels.

"No problem," Darren replies.  At least, that's what he thinks he says.  He's so caught up in Chris' intense gaze on him that he could have just mumbled nonsense.

His heart races in his chest as his breathing slows.  Chris flicks his eyes down to his mouth again.  Darren sees as he leans the slightest bit closer.  It's then that he knows he's going to kiss him.  And that he so desperately wants him to.

Tongue darting out to wet his own lips, Darren hears the faint moan Chris releases as he does so.  It makes him happy to know he's affecting Chris in the same way Chris is affecting him.

"Darren," Chris softly whispers his name like it's fragile and important.

“Please,” Darren faintly whispers in want.

Darren closes his eyes when Chris is right there.  He partially parts his lips and gasps when soft ones brush over his.  Nerves and anticipation, and desire all coil in his belly.  He wants this.  He wants this so bad that Chris not closing those last few millimeters, not pressing his mouth to his, is torturous.

"Chris?" a voice loudly calls from the room.

The sound of person calling Chris' name seems to break him of his daze as Darren sees him quickly jump back from him like he's sick.

Darren frowns at Chris being gone.  At the cold that suddenly hits him because Chris isn't close by.  At not getting his kiss with Chris.  But he really frowns when he notices the regret in Chris' eyes, eyes that can barely look at him now.

"Chris?"  Darren takes a tentative step toward Chris.

"Thank you for your help, Darren," Chris says in a flat voice as he steps away from Darren.  "If you'll just put those on a station without one.  I'll see you out there."

After Chris leaves, Darren just stands there and tries to figure out what the hell just happened.  One moment they were about to kiss, and the next Chris acts like he was about to make the biggest mistake of his life.

Darren grabs the containers and walks out into the classroom.  He does as Chris asked, and then takes a seat at his station.

The entire class, he notices how Chris barely looks at him.  When he walks around to help, he only stops to say he's doing a good job before leaving just as quick as he came.

Darren wants to talk to him.  Wants to ask what happened.  If he did something wrong.  But for all his efforts, for all the times he asks Chris over for help, Chris doesn't let him get a chance to talk.  He talks over him about what needs to be done and leaves.  Darren gets more frustrated each time this happens.

By the time class is over, he is determined to know what's going on.

As everybody leaves, he figures now is the time to talk to Chris.  Alone where there is no chance of anyone hearing.

The moment they are alone, he walks up to Chris, who has his back to him.  He knows if Chris knew they were alone he would try to leave.

"Chris?"  Darren sees Chris still from whatever he's doing.  Sees how he tenses.

After several moments, Chris turns to face him.  A forced smile on his face.  "Great class, Darren."

Darren thinks about the class, and how it was far from great for many reasons.  "I burnt my dessert."

"Nobody gets it right the first time.  That's why you practice," Chris tells him.

Of course, Darren doesn't tell him the reason he burnt his dessert was because he was so caught up in staring at him.  In wanting him to grab his hand and lead him back to the small storage room to kiss him.

When Darren sees Chris take a step to walk away, he steps in front of him to stop him.  He sees how Chris looks down; away from him.  "Can we please talk about what happened?"

Chris takes a deep breath and slowly releases it.  He lifts his head and Darren sees the sadness and pain in his eyes.  "It was a mistake.  I'm not good for you, Darren.  My life is a mess right now.  I don't want to bring you in on that.  Plus, I have..."  Chris drops his gaze from Darren.

After Chris trails off, Darren reaches for his hand.  He smiles when Chris lets him take it.  "You have what?"

Chris meets his gaze again.  This time, instead of the pain and sadness, Darren sees his eyes alight with joy and happiness from whatever he's thinking about.

"How old are you?"  Chris asks.

It's not what he was expecting to hear, but Darren decides to go along with it.  "I'm twenty-nine.  Why?"

Chris chuckles like something is funny.  "I can't do this, Darren.  I can't bring you into my life."

"Why?"  Darren desperately asks.

"Because..." Chris sighs.  "You don't deserve what I would give you.  You wouldn’t want what I have to offer.”

"And what's that?"

"Nothing a twenty-nine year old wants.  Trust me."  With that, Chris rips his hand away from Darren, grabs his bag, and leaves the room.

Darren stands there long after Chris has left more confused than when he talked to him.

Later that night, nursing a cold beer to help with the pain of rejection, Darren grabs his phone and calls his Cole.

"Hello?"  Cole says when he answers in a singsong voice.

"Hey, Cole, you think you can help me with something?"

**Class Three**

"Dude, you weren't lying," Cole leans over and says when Chris walks into the room late.

Darren notices how he looks frazzled.  Tired.  Like he could use a stiff drink and several hours of sleep.

"What?"  Darren looks at his best friend, who wears a huge smirk.

"He is fucking gorgeous.  Now, I get it," Cole clarifies.  “If I were into dudes, I would totally want him.”

"That mean you'll be extra awesome today?"

"Alright, class, today-" Chris lifts his head and stops when he looks over at Darren.  Darren sees as he notices Cole next to him.  How his eyes momentarily go wide with surprise.  Darren swears he sees a hint of something close to anger form in those otherwise always soft eyes.  He grins and scoots closer to Cole.  Chris clears his throat before continuing.  "Today we'll be making strawberry meringue cookies.  I know it sounds daunting, but it’s not.  It’s fairly easy.”

Darren feels Cole sling an arm around his shoulder.  "I'm going to rock this," he whispers into his ear.

Darren has to wonder if Cole is enjoying this more than he should.

Twenty minutes into class, as he whips the egg whites like instructed, Darren laughs when Cole says he is never taking his kitchen appliance for granted again.

"Yeah, we don't use that stuff in here."

"I think my arm is going to fall off," Cole huffs as he stops his whisking.

Darren jumps a little when Cole leans in close and whispers to him, "He's watching us.  Pretend I said something funny."

Darren chances a look over at Chris, who in fact is watching them from across the room.  His eyes are hard as they stare at them.  His mouth in a hard line, and arms crossed over his chest.  It's easy to see he's angry.  It makes Darren smile knowing his plan is working.

Of course, if Chris thinks the smile is for another reason, that's only an added bonus.

When Cole pulls away, making a funny face by crossing his eyes and sticking out his tongue, Darren laughs like he told him to.  Acts like Cole just said the funniest thing.  He glances over to see Chris walking towards them.

"He's coming over," he tells Cole.

Cole doesn't miss a beat as he places a hand on Darren's thigh just as Chris joins them.  Darren notices how Chris' eyes dart down to Cole's hand.  How his eyes fill with jealousy.  How a look like he wants to rip Cole’s hand away crosses across his face.

"Hi, Chris," Darren politely says.

"Who are you?"  Chris skips over the polite greetings and introductions and asks Cole.  His voice hard with anger.

"I'm Cole," Cole replies, offering Chris a warm smile.  "This guy's date."

Darren feels Cole squeeze his thigh.  He sees Chris stare daggers at Cole.  "Yeah, I met him a couple days ago and thought this would be a cute, romantic first date."  He makes sure to look at Cole and give his best heart eyes he can.  Which is kind of hard since he's known Cole since they were thirteen, and he's only ever seen him as his best friend.

Darren looks back up at Chris expecting him to still be angry.  Instead, he sees sadness and regret in his eyes.  In that moment, he wants to pull him close and say it's all a lie.  That Cole is his best friend, and he only wants him.  But he doesn't because he still sees a sliver of jealousy in Chris' eyes when he looks at Cole.  If this is working, he'll keep playing along.

"You've over whipped your egg whites," Chris tells Cole in a monotonous voice.  "Start over."

Darren ignores how Cole groans next to him.  Instead, he focuses on how Chris leaves the classroom for a few minutes before coming back.

"You owe me big time," Cole groans as he starts to whisk again.

After class, once again alone with Chris, Darren stands there staring at him from where he sits at his station.

"You should go, Darren.  Finish your date," Chris says in a shaky voice.

Darren stands up and walks over to Chris.  The pain and jealousy he sees once again in Chris' eyes is what makes say what he says next.  "I'm not on a date."

"What?  Is it over?  Cole didn’t live up to what you expected?”

"No.  I mean, I was never on a date to start with.  Cole is my best friend.  Straight best friend.  He's the one that gave me this gift.  I asked him to help me make you jealous," Darren blurts out.  And since he can't stop, he continues with, "I like you, Chris.  Like a lot.  More than anybody I've ever liked before.  It scares me a little just how much I like you.  How quickly these feelings came on.  I can't stop thinking about you.  I look forward to Saturday just because I know I'll be spending a couple hours with you.  And when those hours are over, I hate it.  I want longer.  I don't want to wait another week to see you."

After he stops talking, Darren takes a breath to calm his racing heart.  That was more than he planned to say.  But he's glad it's out there.  That Chris knows.

"Say something," he whispers as Chris just stands there and stares at him in surprise.  He is sure his heart has never pounded so hard in his chest out of nerves and fear.

In the next instant, Darren feels a hand at the back of his neck as he's pulled in for an unexpected kiss.  He tenses for a second before he relaxes into the kiss.  He closes his eyes as he kisses back.  The sugar and vanilla that Chris smells of invading his senses.

The soft lips under his feel amazing.  Perfect against his just like he imagined they would feel.  They taste of the strawberries from the cookies they made in class.

The kiss starts off gentle.  Innocent.  A tender press of lips together.  

But when Chris places a hand at the small of Darren's back and pulls him closer is when it deepens.  Becomes intense.

Darren grabs at Chris' hip and releases a low moan when he feels Chris tease his tongue against the seam of his lips.  He knows what he wants.  What he's asking for.  He parts his lips for Chris.  A soft whimper escapes him when Chris slowly and tentatively delves his tongue into his mouth.  He feels the hand at his back press in as tongues glide against each other.  This time it's a deep, desire filled moan that falls from his mouth.

He never wants this kiss to end.  He wants to stand here and kiss Chris until he’s had enough.  Which he is sure would be never.

Sooner than he would like, Darren feels Chris pull away from the kiss.

"Wow!"  Darren softly says as he just stands there.  His breathing is fast.  He feels a flush on his cheeks.  He looks at Chris, whose cheeks are flushed, and eyes filled with a mixture of happiness and sadness.  As much as he wants to focus on the happiness, it's the sadness that he mainly notices.  "What?" he says in a low, concerned voice.

"I like you, too," Chris whispers, a small smile on his mouth before it quickly falls away.  "I feel the same way you do."

Darren would be elated at Chris' words if it weren't for the look in his eyes.  "What's wrong?"

A sad smile spreads across Chris' face as he cups Darren's face.  He gently strokes a thumb over his cheek.  "That's all I can give you.  I want to give you more.  Give you dates, and more kisses, and nights together.  But I can't."

"Why?"  Darren's voice comes out small and broken.

Chris drags his hand down Darren's face, and strokes his thumb across his lower lip.  "Because you won't like my world.  It's too...chaotic for you."

"You don't know that," Darren says in a quiet voice.

"I do.  I know from experience.  I don’t want to get my hopes up, only to be crushed once again."  Chris leans forward and brushes his lips over Darren's once more.  "Bye, Darren."

Before he can stop him, Darren finds Chris gone, and himself alone in the room.  He's left to question what's so crazy about Chris' life that makes him hesitant to give this a chance with him.

**Class Four**

Darren almost doesn't go to the last class.  Not wanting to face Chris after last week.

But the thought that if he didn't go would mean not seeing him one last time is what has him getting ready.  It motivates him to get up and get out.  He knows he has to face Chris.  At least to say goodbye to him.

He doesn't know why the thought of saying goodbye to Chris hurts so much.

When he arrives outside the classroom, Darren stops when he sees Chris has walked up to the door at the same time.  "H-Hi...hello," he awkwardly mumbles as he stares at Chris.  He notices how Chris' gaze flicks down to his mouth a couple times.  How his cheeks flush when he does.

Darren bites back a grin at knowing Chris is reliving their kiss from last week.  Just knowing Chris is thinking about makes him think about it for the hundredth time.  How amazing it was.  How it was easily the best kiss of his life.  But mainly, how he wants to kiss Chris again.

"Hi, Darren," Chris politely greets him as his voice goes high for a second.  "Last class."

"Yeah."  Darren nods his head and smiles even though a solemn feeling washes over him knowing at the end of class he will probably never see Chris again.

Chris seems to feel the same way as Darren sees his eyes lose a bit of the light in them.  "Guess we should get inside and bake."

Darren nods his head and follows Chris into the classroom.

At his station, tying the strings of his apron, Darren watches Chris as he lays out everything for today's class.

"Alright, today we'll be making individual chocolate molten cakes.  My favorite dessert," Chris says with excitement.  Darren can tell he forces it.  "So, first you'll have to measure the flour."

Darren barely pays attention as Chris instructs them how to make their cake.  His attention focused on how gorgeous Chris is.  On his mouth.  Remembering their kiss.  It's a wonder he even manages to catch half of what Chris says.  But he hears enough to get to work when Chris tells them it's time to start working on their own cakes.

When Chris walks around as everyone bakes, Darren follows his movements.  He watches as Chris goes from one station to the next, telling the couples things they need to fix.  By the time he makes it to his, he's so far behind everybody else that all he has is the dry ingredients measured.

"Mind wandering today?"  Chris says in a teasing, playful tone as he stands beside Darren.

"Yeah," Darren admits as he gets started on the wet ingredients.

"Would you like some help?"

Darren looks at Chris.  "Sure."

As Chris helps him, Darren relishes each time Chris brushes up against him.  Whether it be on accident or purpose, he doesn't care.  A hand brushing his.  Shoulders accidentally bumping together.  Legs touching.  He doesn’t care.  He wants every touch Chris gives him.  Because Chris' touch sends a heat coursing through him.  Makes him feel alive.

"Remember not to over mix," Chris tells him before walking away.

Darren watches Chris walk away before he goes back to work.  He's mixing the ingredients when a kid yelling daddy catches his attention.  He looks up in time to see a little boy run up and jump into Chris' outstretched arms.

As Chris hugs the little boy, his eyes lock with Darren's from the front of the room.  In them, Darren sees the worry and concern before Chris looks away.

"Hey, Colin," Chris says to his little boy.  He buries his face in the slope of Colin's neck and playfully attacks his neck.  Darren smiles at Colin's squeals of enjoyment.

"Stop it, Daddy!"  Colin giggles as he tries to shove Chris away.

An older woman walks up to Chris.  "Sorry," Darren hears her apologize.  "He wanted to stop by and see you."

"It's fine," Chris tells her.

"Oh, my God!"  Darren hears Paula squeal behind him.  "Is that your son?" she asks.

"Yes.  This is my little boy, Colin."  Chris smiles as he lovingly looks at Colin.  "Say hi, Colin."

Colin gets shy all of a sudden as he rests against Chris' chest; tries to hide some.  "Hi," he quietly whispers.

As Darren looks at the little boy who looks like his dad, he realizes why Chris pushed him away.  Why he thought he wouldn't want to be a part of his life.  And as Chris holds his son and talks to the lady, eyes glancing his way every few moments, Darren feels both relief and anger.

After Colin and the lady leave, Darren drops his gaze away from Chris and doesn't look up again during class.  If he does, he knows he'll end up saying what he doesn't want to say in front of the others.

He bites his tongue and waits until Chris and he are alone.

Once class ends and everybody leaves, Darren walks straight over to Chris in the storage room, ready to talk.

"Now you know," Chris says in a soft voice.  "You can turn and run the other way now."

All the anger and frustration Darren had directed toward Chris instantly vanishes at those words.  "What?" he says taken aback.  His voice coming out gentle and calm.  "Why would I run away?"

"Because that's what every other guy I tried to date did.  The moment they found out about Colin, it was suddenly "I'm sorry, I'm busy" or "I have to cancel" or some other bullshit excuse," Chris replies with a hint of anger to his voice as his eyes go hard.  "So, sorry, if I automatically assume a twenty-nine year old would react the same way."

"I wouldn't.  Look, I know and I'm still here.  I still want what I wanted last week."

"Darren."  Chris sighs as his shoulders slump, and the anger leaves him.  "Trust me, you don't want this."

"Yes, I do."  Darren takes Chris' hands in his.  "Can't you at least give me a chance?  That's all I ask for."

Chris stares into Darren's hopeful eyes.  He debates with himself for a few moments.  "Okay," he finally says.

Darren sees the fear and worry in Chris' eyes.  But he also sees the happiness.  "I won't disappoint you."

"Yes, you will."

"About other things, probably.  But not when it comes to this."

Chris bites his lower lip and smiles.  "I can't believe I'm doing this."

Darren stares when Chris releases his lower lip redder from where he bit it.

"It seems so surreal.  Like a dream."

"What would make it seem real?"  Darren smirks as he steps closer to Chris, his intent clear in his eyes.

"I don't know."  Chris grins as he reaches over for something.  "Maybe," he moves in close to Darren, "that!"

Instead of the kiss he was expecting, Darren finds his face covered in cocoa powder as Chris laughs at him.  He licks his lips of the powder as he nods his head.  "Okay," he says in an even tone as he looks at the table.  "You want to play."

"You gonna do something abo-"  Chris doesn't get to finish as Darren flings a handful of powdered sugar onto his face.

Darren grins as Chris shakes the sugar away.  "Fair is fair."  He sucks a finger into his mouth and licks it clean.

Chris eyes go dark with want as he watches him do that.

If he thinks Chris is going to do something about that want, Darren is mistaken when he finds flour thrown at him.

"Oh, that's it."  Darren grabs whatever is closest to him.  "Let's fight."

Food goes flying in the small space.  Darren quickly finds himself covered in flour and sugar, and an array of other things.  Chris is no better.

"No!"  Chris playfully screams as Darren squeezes chocolate syrup on him.

Darren laughs when Chris manages to break an egg over his head.

"Oh, my God!"  Chris laughs after they call a truce.

Darren looks at Chris and laughs at the sight of him.  Covered in sugar and flour and cocoa, with pieces of egg she'll still stuck to his shirt, laughing carefree, it's not surprise that something twists in his chest.

"I haven't had that much fun with another guy in years," Chris says a bit breathless.  "Thank you."

Eyes fall shut, and Darren softly sighs, when Chris closes the space between them and kisses him.

The kiss taste sweet.  Tastes of the powder sugar still on Chris' lips.  Darren knows he'll never look at the stuff the same way again.

Darren holds Chris close as they kiss.  Wraps his arms around his waist.  The kiss quickly turns heated and hungry.  Hands roam over bodies as mouths roughly move against each other.  As tongues thrusts together. With everything, it doesn't take long for Darren's body to react.  He feels himself start to grow hard.  And as much as he wants to rut against Chris until he came, he respects that maybe Chris isn't ready for that.

"No," Chris exhales when Darren tries to move away.  He pulls him back.  "Don't stop."

"But...I have-"

"I know."  Chris rocks his hips forward to show he's having the same problem.  "Please, don't stop."

Darren knows what Chris is saying with those words.  "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

That's all Darren needs to hear as he's pressing Chris into the shelf as he lifts his legs and hooks them over his hips.

In the grand scheme of things, doing this in the storage closet with the door open to a room where anyone could walk in is probably not the smartest idea.  And if he was thinking straight, he would stop this before there is a chance of that happening.  But Darren doesn’t care.  The friction on his cock as he rolls his hips forward against Chris’ is too amazing to make him stop now.

As he continues to roll his hips forward, his clothed cock dragging against Chris', he groans.  The sensation that it sends through his body makes him shiver.  He seeks it out as he thrusts his hips over and over and over again.

"Yes!"  Chris softly cries into Darren's ear as he clutches at his back.

Darren turns his head and captures Chris' mouth in a bruising, demanding kiss that is all tongue and teeth.

"Feels so good," Chris moans into Darren's mouth as his fingers dig deeper into his back.

The small pain Darren feels mixes with pleasure.  It swirls, creating a feeling unlike one he's never experienced before.

As they kiss, Darren grips the shelf behind Chris for support.  He grinds his hips forward.  Watches in wonder as Chris drops his head back against the shelf and obscenely moans.  He attaches his lips to the column of Chris’ neck.  The skin soft.  He kisses and gently nips and licks.  He wants to leave a mark.  Wants Chris to see it tomorrow and remember what they did.

"Close," Chris whimpers as he rocks his hips forward.

As he continues to thrust his hips forward, Darren pulls back to watch Chris.  He watches as he drops his head back, eyes close, and lips part around a quiet moan as he comes.  It’s that sight that sends his own body pulsating with the need to come over the edge.  He works his hips through his release as delicious pleasure courses through him.

Darren stills against Chris once it becomes too much.  But as he stills, he feels like jelly, and starts to think he's going to collapse to the floor any second.  He clutches the shelf tighter for balance and support.

"Fuck!" he quietly groans as he buries his face in the slope Chris' neck.

Chris' breathing near his ear is ragged and heavy.  Darren feels when he drops his head to his shoulder.  "Fuck is correct."

Darren presses a kiss to Chris' neck.  Beneath his lips, he can feel his racing pulse.

Chris lifts his head.  “So, anything you want to ask?"

Darren stares into Chris' eyes swimming with pleasure.  Only one question comes to mind.  "Yeah.  How old are you?"

Chris giggles as he replies, "Thirty-five.  Why?"

"I just thought you were younger.  You don't look thirty-five."

"If you're looking to get laid, you just accomplished it."  Chris grins.

Darren leans close and nuzzles his nose against Chris' flushed cheek.  "Do we have to wait before or after our first date?"

"So, we're going on a date now?"  Chris wraps his other arm around Darren's neck.

"Of course we are," Darren says like it should be obvious.  He pulls back to look at Chris again.  "I told you, a couple hours a week wasn't enough for me."

"Me either," Chris whispers as he leans in for a chaste kiss.

"So, when's our date?"

"You can pick me up Friday," Chris replies.  "I won't have Colin."

Darren beams with excitement.  "Okay."

Chris leans close to Darren so their lips are barely brushing.  His eyes on Darren's.  "And if you wanted to stay the night to cash in on getting laid, you're more than welcome."

The words brush over Darren's lips like a promise.  Arousal instantly pools in his belly.  His cock twitches in his jeans trying to get hard again when he thinks about their upcoming night.  "O-Okay," he dumbly says as he nods his head.

Chris lets out a small laugh.  "Okay.  It's a date.  Now, if you don't mind, I need to clean up."

"I'll help."

After they cleanup the mess they created with their food fight, Darren holds Chris close as he kisses him once more.

This kiss isn't as heated or rushed as the one before.  There's not as much want behind it.  But it still stirs something in Darren.

"I have to go," Chris breathlessly mumbles.  "Colin is waiting for me."

"Alright."  Darren reluctantly lets Chris goes.  Misses him the moment he's away from him.

Chris turns to walk away but stops and looks back at Darren with a bright smile.  Even covered in all kinds of food, Darren finds him gorgeous.  "This has been the best class I’ve ever taught.”

“You’re the best teacher I’ve ever had.”

Chris blushes.  “I’ll call you later.”

“I look forward to it.”

After Chris leaves, Darren busts out in a little happy dance already thinking of what he could give Cole in return for him giving him the best present ever.


End file.
